


Genesis of a Princess

by AmethystAshes



Series: Reign of the Queen [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: (dats foreshadowing right there), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ash is a strong independent whamen, Ash is gonna be a goddess at some point, BAMF Thanatos, Crack Treated Seriously, Dark Harry Potter, Dark Magic, Daughter of Hades Harry Potter, Female Harry Potter, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Crack, Hades is a strong independent... whamen??, Hades was just sexually frustrated okay?, Hecate is a strong independent whamen, Hermione will become a strong independent whamen, Hestia is a strong independent whamen, I'll be adding characters as I go, Implied One Night Stands, Magic, Maybe - Freeform, Melinoe is a strong independent whamen, Multi, One Night Stands, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Persephone is a strong independent whamen, Slow Burn, and lemme tell you that's a big if rayt der boi, and they probs won't get together until 5, but not in Genesis, femharry, good luck digging through this, good luck shippers, i am literally the only author that buries little easter eggs amidst all these shitty tags, i enjoy messing with thanatos too much, if I finish it, if it ain't your cup of tea get outta here, it all works out in the end, its real, just to rub in how much i fucked up, let me finish this first and lets see if i haven't died yet, like siriusly (heh get it?)(i'm not sorry) some of these tags are for book 7, like so real that even if the ship is up from book 1, or is it????, see that slow burn tag?, somehow everyone is sick and tired of Zeus' shit, the END of 3, the prophecy is bullshit, there will be no awkward relationships between 11yos godsdamit, there will be smut, tom won't actually KNOW about ash until 3, we ain't going into PJO, we won't get there til Book 5 tho, whoops, yur gonna need it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2020-06-09 13:25:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19476805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmethystAshes/pseuds/AmethystAshes
Summary: Asphodel Spica Potter grew up loved and adored by her family.Asphodel Spica Potter lived hidden away from her uncle's cruel "justice".Asphodel Spica Potter matured with magic at her fingertips, and Magic a guiding hand.Asphodel Spica Potter is a Princess of the Underworld, and she refuses to bow down before the expectations of a people ignorant of the world around them.Previously titled"Reign of the Queen".DISCLAIMER:Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, whereas Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus belongs to Rick Riordan. I am not recieving profit from this article and it was written purely for entertainment purposes.(AN: This was written in first person, as a minor ode to Rick Riordan's PJO. Apologies to anyone who can't read it.)





	1. Prolouge - Warm Emerald in a Cold Hell

**Author's Note:**

> A much overused trope, I know. I don't care.  
> Featuring an actual magic system and abuse of the-mortals-got-it-wrong excuse.  
> I regret nothing.
> 
> ALSOOOOO, I will be posting 2 other books explaining my reasons as to why stuff are like that instead of having characters shouting their strategies to their enemies midbattle, unlike a certain anime that I will not be mentioning (coughnarutocough), namely **Post Velamentum de Scientia Magia** and **Reasons for ROTQ**.  
> I don't have a precise word count, I just have a particular series of events that need to occur per chapter, so word count may vary because of that. Each chapter is usually the same length, more or less, but some are ridiculously long or ridiculously short, depends on what I need done per chapter, but I'll try to refrain from that.  
> I have a certain love for cliffhangers, you have been warned.  
> Expect monthly updates, unless RL is being a bitch, or I get Author's Block. And I know I said I'd be posting on tumblr and FFN, and maybeeee Wattpad, but I probs won't get to that until some time. If you prefer those sites, drop a comment so I'll know that I'm actually bothering people and   
> that I should stop procrastinating and just RESET the world cuz I'm never gonna be able to kill Sans (If you get me, I LOVE(heh) you).  
> Please read my ANs, before and after the chapters, they probably answer some questions you may have that Post Velamentum de Scientia Magia (I know it's long and wordy, but dam if i don't love how it rolls off my tongue) and REASONS didn't. If they don't, comment or PM, I might not respond immediately, but I will, even if only to tell you that the answer to your question is a spoiler.  
> Yeah, that's all of it.  
> All other ANs after this shouldn't be this long. ;)  
>  **EDIT:** This is a reboot of Reign of the Queen, it's still the same story, perhaps written more smoothly and longer to justify the 1 month wait. The main reason for the rename was that I decided to write each year as a separate story, instead of putting them all in one book like I had initially planned.  
> Now, are my ANs too formal???  
> 

* * *

_**Hecate** _

**[Age 1]**

"Enter."

I nervously stepped into the throne room, the formal summons for my presence heavy against the folds of my black robes. 

Hades was, by nature, a very casual lord (a far cry from his youngest brother, thank Mother) and he almost never partook in formalities. The last time anything like this happened had been a summons for everyone, and that had Persephone written all over it, just signed with his name.

I sigh, this was not the time to be lost in thought. 

"You called for me, my Lord?" My voice echoed across the empty room. Hades was 10 feet tall for once, and lounging on his throne. I could feel his aura washing over, agitated and chaotic, no wonder he's scared everyone off.

"Last night, a small fraction, nothing more than a sliver, of a soul entered my kingdom." The god of the dead drawled. "It was one of your magicals, a Tom Marvolo Riddle, I believe. How?"

Short, but sweet, and so, so, filled with sheer unadulterad rage it would make a lesser god quiver in fear. To be honest, I'm not that far myself. "Yes, my lord. I will investigate this incident."

And with a flick of my fingers, I was gone.

Within the grasping fingers of the Mist, I sigh. "Times like this make me regret ever granting that wish."

* * *

_**Hades** _

Three days later, she came back holding a small bundle. 

"It seems that Riddle, a reincarnated demigod, has been practicing Soul Magicks in a bid to gain immortality. I've burned all the texts on the topic, as per the agreement, but it seems like other mortals have been researching on the topic. Even so, it's still not enough basis to safely mess around with something so intrinsic as one's soul. The result is a hideous being that's a mere husk of his former brilliance."

I nodded, considering how mutilated that fracture was, I'm not surprised of how much it ruined him. The fact that his soul was that of a demigod was probably the only reason why his magic is still intact.

"How was he shattering his soul?" I inquired.

"Horcruxes, a bastardazied form of Necromancy. It takes advantage of how the soul shatters, if only a little bit, when one commits cold-blooded murder." She explained. "The ritual must be done before the murder and completed by doing the act. The ritual, using the fracture on your soul, places half of it on an object."

"How many has he created?"

"Seven, although the latest didn't become a full Horcrux due to the ritual having been incomplete."

Before I could ask what she was meaning, she pushed the bundle towards me, and my eyes widened. It was a child, my child, with a few flickers of Riddle's soul on her forehead.

"How did this happen?" I asked, barely keeping my voice straight.

"A prophecy, fake I assure you, that stated that she (and another child, Longbottom, I believe) would be the cause of his fall from power. Because of this, he went after her parents, James and Lily Potter." She added, "Or well, what they thought were her parents."

"They technically are." I murmured, remembering what Lily and James had done. "When?" I asked, not needing to state what exactly I was asking for.

"Samhain."

"And these soul shards? How did they come to be?"

"As I said, the process of creating a Horcrux begins before you commit the murder, however his soul could not handle the strain of being divided in half again. He died halfway through the ritual but a few slivers managed to attach themselves to her, considering he was planning on using her death as the conduit for his last Horcrux. That was the sliver you felt enter, unfortunately, most of his soul is still tethered to the living realm. His magic has taken the form of a wraith and has taken refuge around Albania. However, in spite of his demigod soul, he was reborn as a mortal and is currently out of reach." Feeling me relax with the information given, a bit of her formality loosened. "Going after him now would just get the Big Man all pissy about breaking his rules, the hypocrite that he is."

"Thank you, Hecate. You may leave."

I sit in my throne, holding my child against my chest. I watch her sleep so peacefully in a place grown men would only see in their worst nightmares. She was beautiful, with a few locks of black hair on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered, and I held my breath. Her eyes were beautiful, like a pair of beautiful bright emeralds. A pair of jewels shining, turning everything pale in comparison. In that small second of brilliance, I made a decision.

* * *

_**Persephone** _

"You cannot ask that of me!"

"Please, I know I have wronged you, but do not blame the child for my sins."

I remained silent, while I might have detested him before, I have grown to love him. His caring ways, the way he laughs, and those smiles he gave only to me.

I sigh, "Fine, Hades, I approve."

* * *


	2. Chapter 1: Magic's Guiding Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been 3 years ever since Asphodel arrived, and things have never been better.  
> 
> 
> * * *
> 
> Betaed by KateRhyne.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit.  
> 
> 
> *checks all the kudos*  
>  *faints*  
>  *gets back up to check if she's dreaming, she isn't*  
>  *faints again*  
>  *wakes up*  
> 
> 
> Omfgggggggg. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! tHaNK yOu!!!!!!!!!!!  
>  I can't believe I got up to 41 kudos! And 20 overnight! oVErniGhT  
> 
> 
> I know that this is probably WAY too short, especially for a one month wait and even more so for all the positive feedback... But I've been really busy with school recently, and I hope people wouldn't mind if I prioritized my studies over this. I'll try to make chapters longer as the story progresses, but I can't really promise anything. Sorry.  
> 

**_Persephone_ **   
**[Age 4]**

It was hard to remember a time before my little princess was here. For all the eons of my existence, never before have I felt such... joy.   


And to think I was so against her.  


I was broken out of my thoughts by an insistent tug on my hair, and I looked at the little halfblood on my lap. Well, for now. Asphodel had just turned 4 a fortnight ago, and I could already tell she would grow into a beautiful woman.  


She had long black hair falling in soft, bouncy curls, and her eyes were in a shade of green somewhere between what stalks of grass still wet with morning dew would like, and the shimmer of aventurine.  


We were in her bedroom, and I once again sighed at how lavishly my husband decorated it (completely ignoring how it was mostly me who did the actual decorating and that he just payed for it). The room itself was mostly in monochrome-grey walls, black fluffy carpet, white doors, etc.- with accents in different shades of green and the furnishing were in elegantly carved birch, Hecate had even charmed the one and only window to show whatever Ash wanted.   


Only one other thing could catch the eye in this room.  
A small vase of white flowers, lilies of the valley, on her bedside table.  


* * *

The door creaked open, and I watched as a my husband stepped into the room.  
"How's my little princess?"   


"Daddy!" Said princess squirmed in my lap, in an attempt to latch on to her smiling father.  


I smiled at their interaction, it was heartwarming to see them together. To see Hades, a man usually so cold and apathetic to the world, be this, a sweet and caring father to our daughter. And there's that too, _our_ daughter. I usually would've detested little Ash for being the everlasting remebrance that my husband cheated on me, but I somehow can't bring myself to hate her. After all, how can I if she brought my family together?  


"Love?" Hades asked, as if sensing my thoughts, "Is everything alright?"  


"Never better, dear." I replied.  


Although, it seems like I wasn't the only one with heavy thoughts. "Hades? Is something the matter?"  


He looked at me, and the faint bags under his eyes grew so much more obvious. "I've been thinking... about a preposition."  


"From whom?"  


"Hecate."  


My eyes widened. Hecate may spend most of her time fooling around and playing pranks on everyone, but childish act or not, she is still the goddess of magic.  


He continued. "She wants to apprentice Ash."  


I nodded. Trying to regain my composition. "Call her over."  


* * *

_**Hades** _

I quickly summoned Hecate over to meet us at the dining hall (the smallest one), although nothing as formal as last time. I suppose it was time to finally get on it instead of dithering over the topic like I was. (Something I'm self-aware enough to admit to myself, and _only_ to myself.)  


Persephone and I were already seated when the door creaked open, letting in the goddess of magic.  


"Auntie Hecate!" Ash cried out from her spot on my wife's lap.  


After awkwardly climbing off of the goddess of spring, she began waddling towards her mother's handmaiden, who caught her with open arms.  


"Hello, little flower." Hecate cooed, "How are you doing?"  


She replied with giggling and turning her hair neon blue. I snickered, knowing that it would take her much longer to remove than it normally would with other dyes. It took me nearly a week of trying before it faded out naturally. Cue Hecate's glare.  


"Sooooooooo," obnoxiously dragging it out like she was wont to, "have you thought about my offer?"  


And with a few words, the atmosphere plummeted.  


* * *

I sat at the head of the table, Hecate across me and Persephone to my right. Ash was still on Hecate's lap, completely unaware of the significance of our topic on her future.  


"Now regarding your preposition, why so early? I thought 11 was the better age to start magical training?" Persephone, my better half, started.  


"I've already informed you that Ash was born with a rather large core for her age. And while this is generally a good thing, there were a few factors that I forgot to take into account when I said that she's 'as healthy as can be'." The goddess of magic told us.  


> _  
> "Asphodel is as healthy as can be." Hecate carried the yearold infant in her arms._
> 
> _"Are you certain? Didn't that half-giant leave her outside in a cold November night?" I was still raging from that knowledge. To think that they left a child, my child to suffer._
> 
> _Saviour of the Wizarding world my ass._
> 
> _"Yes, normally I would've been too late to catch her before hypothermia set in. Although it appears she's blessed."_
> 
> _"'Blessed'?"_
> 
> _"She has an extremely large magical core, even for a halfblood of the Big Three. I'm certain she survived because of that."_
> 
> _"I see. Thank Chaos."  
> _

"What do you mean?" I croak out, head racing with possibilities. What if- _what if-_  


A hand grasping my own pulled me out of the hurricane of my thoughts. I look to my right and catch a pair of jade green orbs looking at me in concern.  


"It's nothing that dreadful, I assure you." Hecate said in a soft nonchalant tone that somehow managed to quell all my worries without showing a shred of pity. "I merely forgot to consider what environment she'll be growing in."  
Hecate continued, "Ash is inherently Dark, and growing in an environment such as this will bolster her core's growth. And while this is usually seen as beneficial, for those who are born with an already large core, this can impede their growth. Childhood -ages 1 to 10, to be precise- is when a child's magical core expands the most, before turning into a stable trickle until magical maturity at 17. It will not grow to such an extent for those with an already large core."  


"Why?" My wife inquired.  


"This is a defense mechanism, the Core's instinct to protect itself. Too much magic in one's body can literally burn you out, and children are more vulnerable because most can't control their magic enough should an accident occur. To prevent this, the core stops growing early at the size where it wouldn't cause harm, permanently retarding your magical core. The only way to allow the growth to continue is by teaching the child, anything, really. This way the core continues growing to accomodate the sudden influx of energy needed by the child's new activities. It can even make the core grow larger than it would even at the rate of regular growth." Hecate explained.  


"And you get an apprentice." Persephone added.  


"And there's that. So hey, two birds with one stone, right?" And the seriousness was gone.  


Persephone and I looked at each other and made a silent agreement.  


"Okay, Hecate, we'll let you train her." I told her.  



	3. tHiS iS NoT A chApTer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is not a chapter.

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!  
I'm just placing this warning here for all the people still waiting.

I've moved the update schedule (every 15th) to the first of each month, so expect chapter 3 to be up by September 30 to October 2 depending on where you are.

I'm so sorry, it's just that I've "conveniently" planned my update sched with hell week.

\- Acxe

16/10/19

So? Did you know that juggling your country's equivalent of the AP System during exams week, starting a business and writing regularly is _hard_?

Well I didn't. Not until it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Let me die for a few days and then I'll try to update, or at least a double update on Dia de los Muertes...

On an unrelated note, happy belated birthday to Naruto, Tsuna and happy birthday Renato!


	4. A Breath of Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Writing toddlers are weird and I'm too lazy to bother researching when this is the last chapter where Ash can be appropriately called one, excluding extras.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROTQ is now up on FFN, because of a certain friend who apparently prefers those sites.
> 
> You're welcome, Zenko.

* * *

_**Hestia** _

**[Age 5]**

I walk down a path usually trod on by the dead, Cerberus letting me through after a belly rub. I quickly continue my journey, ignoring the Erinyes watching my every move. I knew they wouldn't hurt me, I meant their liege no harm after all. 

My pace quickens once I made it through the Fields of Asphodel, knowing my brother had already noticed me and not wanting him to grow impatient. He does have quite the temper after all.

Surprisingly, the throne room was empty. Usually he would be waiting here, ready to speak to his guests, acting all intimidating like he was the big bad wolf. It never worked on me though, how could it when I remember him sobbing into my toga because his brothers were teasing him again, despite being the eldest. And that he would also cheer up and smile with those adorable dimples of his once I gave him some chocolate (chocolate because he was a picky eater and wouldn't eat ambrosia for the _weirdest_ reasons he could come up with).

I decided to wait there for a few minutes wondering if he was just doing paperwork and would be well on his way here (What with how often people die nowadays, he always has paperwork. It was truly saddening, just thinking how many homes have been destroyed because of lost loved ones.). But I soon realized it was a waste of time. I wondered why, as I roam the palace.

I overheard giggling and headed towards the source. _'Perhaps the spirits are playing a prank on Persephone again.'_ That would certainly be enough reason for him to take some time in greeting me. I turn a corner and I stumble against a little _alive_ girl.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" I ask the child, dusting her off. As I did so, I quickly realized something was wrong with her, but I couldn't identify what. 

She blinked her pretty green eyes at me, before squeeking. "I'm fine, Miss." She paused for a while, before asking, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for my brother, child." I tell her.

"I'm not 'child'," She pouted indignantly (and wasn't she so adorable), "My name's Asphodel, though my Mommy and Daddy call me Ash."

"Really? Well, wher-" I was cut off when I heard someone call little Ash's name.

"MOMMY!" She screamed, coming to tackle the person who was walking around the corner, and I freeze.

"Hestia." The woman breathed out, instinctively placing Asphodel behind her.

"Persephone." I replied.

* * *

Persephone had led the three of us to the dining hall, not before calling one of the servants and asking him (her? It was hard to tell) to bring Hades over. I took the spot across the spring goddess whilst Asphodel sat beside reading a storybook that I've never noticed.

I opened my mouth to start asking questions, before sister in-law (well I suppose I could call her my beyond-matrimony niece in-law squared) me off.

"Let's wait for my husband to get here, before we start discussing things, shall we?" She said, and I pause, she hadn't refered to Hades with that much affection since the 20's, before the di Angelo incident.

We sat there, sipping at the tea a maid had served earlier. The silence wasn't tense or awkward at all, and was broke often by Asphodel suddenly saying something out of the blue and Persephone humoring her. It was quite heartwarming, actually.

I took this time to quietly observe Ash. She was quiet most of the time, focusing more on what she was reading. She had proper manners too, from what I could see. And she was definitely strong, what with how brilliantly her soul shines. It was beautiful to look at, except for... _oh dear_.

My thoughts were cut off abruptly when the door opened, Hades and Thanatos walking in, or well _was going to_ walk in. The god of death took one look at the situation and quite promptly disappeared, not wanting to get caught up in a family discussion. (Which, rude! True, most of our family discussions ended up with something in flames, but that was never our fault. We spent our time at every solstice chatting quietly by the hearth and ignoring the chaos around us.)

"Sister." Hades said, awkwardly.

"Hades," I started, trying to find a way to ease him into the conversation. "I am extremely upset that I was never informed about your daughter."

That seemed to break him out of his panicky internal monolouge because he startles, and, after a few minutes of processing what I said, _blushed_.

Persephone seemed to agree with me because she started giggling behind her hand, even as my brother shot her a betrayed look. Ash was dead to the world, engrossed in her story.

Hades coughed into his hand, in an attempt to get the situation under control, as if I would lose this opportunity to tease him endlessly.

"Sister, let's talk outside, shall we?"

* * *

"I'm surprised Persephone let you raise her. Much less adopt her herself." It was blunt, I knew it was blunt, but I was never the type of person to use twenty words when two would work. Dithering over words just led to misunderstandings, and those were the first step to ruining families.

Besides, with the way most people acted around Hades, I knew he appreciated the change of pace.

"I was too, but her parents had died, and it was either my care or her aunt's, who had already made her dislike of anything _freakish_ quite known."

That tone of voice usually didn't bode well for whomever was being spoken about.

I couldn't quite bring it upon myself to care.

"Well I'm glad she found a caring family." And I truly was, Hades hasn't felt this content since...

I sighed, I didn't want to ruin the mood like this, but for the exact same reason I hate white lies, keeping him unaware leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Lighter Soul magicks weren't exactly an Underworldian's domain.

"And the shard?"

Hades didn't ask how I knew, Necromancy, despite of the misleading name (honestly, what were the mortals thinking?), was as much his domain as mine. What is death without life, after all?

My little brother explained how it got there in the first place, and I took a moment to mourn the Potters. They might not be married out of love, but not all families consist of a married couple and children. Lily and James would have been great parents, regardless. Sirius too, and I'm sure Remus would've been the doting uncle if he never managed to actually confess. (Although I'm pretty sure only I noticed what was going on there.)

"I was going to have it removed, but it would probably hurt her so I kept it supressed instead and I'll remove it when she's a bit older and..."

Ah, he's starting to ramble.

"She can take it." I cut him off his tirade. He could have kept going for hours and still have more to say.

"... because at her age, something so invasive would probably be- Wait, what?"

"She can take it." I repeated, ignoring the temptation of sounding patronizing and watching him sulk about it. (Despite protests that no he didn't sulk, he's the ruler of the underworld damn it and he doesn't _sulk_.)

"Are you sure? Wouldn't it hurt her?"

"At most, some slight discomfort, but it would probably just tickle her." Of course, he doesn't need to know that this is if _he_ did the job instead of some riffraff necromancer, but it was probably a safe assumption that my brother wouldn't let someone else do this when he was much more experienced.

"Alright then."

* * *

_**Persephone** _

Asphodel giggled from her spot in Hestia's lap, seemingly content with watching Hecate's hair go through the entire color spectrum. The hearth goddess herself had taken the opportunity to catch up with her old mentor, Hecate.

I couldn't quite believe it, when I learned. They certainly didn't look like they could coexist, Hecate too devious and Hestia too pacifistic. But then I saw them reminiscing over their old memories in the pensieve, and the similarities became uncanny. (But then again, Hestia always was far too fucking zen to not have some sort of coping mechanism. At least it wasn't anything like Dionysus' or, gods forbid, _Mother's_.

Let's just say I had a bit _too much_ cereal growing up.)

Hades was chatting with the god of death in a corner. (Poor, poor Thanatos looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here, but that look in my husband's face said that if he were to abandom Hades to the tender mercies three goddesses again the god of death would be facing ungodly amounts of paperwork and quite possibly Charon-babysitting duty. I laugh at his misery. 

I'm pretty certain Hecate and Hestia are too.)

I glance at my smiling daughter again and breathe a sigh of relief. I may not have much reign over necromancy, but I am the goddess of spring, and if that doesn't give me at least some sway over Life, I don't know what will. Watching that parasite leach off of Ash's soul had been the closest I'd ever get to having a heart attack. Seeing it gone had lifted some weight I didn't know was there to begin with.

Shaking my head to get rid of heavy thoughts, I head over to Hades's side, gleefully tormenting Thanatos further. Those weren't important right now. Now was the time to relax.

(In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but thank the Fates that my husband cheated on me. My family has never been better.)

* * *


	5. A Breath of Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Writing toddlers are weird and I'm too lazy to bother researching when this is the last chapter where Ash can be appropriately called one, excluding extras.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROTQ will be up on FFN, because of a certain friend who apparently prefers those sites.
> 
> You're welcome, Zenko.

* * *

_**Hestia** _  


**[Age 5]**

I walk down a path usually trod on by the dead, Cerberus letting me through after a belly rub. I quickly continue my journey, ignoring the Erinyes watching my every move. I knew they wouldn't hurt me, I meant their liege no harm after all. 

My pace quickens once I made it through the Fields of Asphodel, knowing my brother had already noticed me and not wanting him to grow impatient. He does have quite the temper after all.

Surprisingly, the throne room was empty. Usually he would be waiting here, ready to speak to his guests, acting all intimidating like he was the big bad wolf. It never worked on me though, how could it when I remember him sobbing into my toga because his brothers were teasing him again, despite being the eldest. And that he would also cheer up and smile with those adorable dimples of his once I gave him some chocolate (chocolate because he was a picky eater and wouldn't eat ambrosia for the _weirdest_ reasons he could come up with).

I decided to wait there for a few minutes wondering if he was just doing paperwork and would be well on his way here (What with how often people die nowadays, he always has paperwork. It was truly saddening, just thinking how many homes have been destroyed because of lost loved ones.). But I soon realized it was a waste of time. I wondered why, as I roam the palace.

I overheard giggling and headed towards the source. _'Perhaps the spirits are playing a prank on Persephone again.'_ That would certainly be enough reason for him to take some time in greeting me. I turn a corner and I stumble against a little _alive_ girl.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" I ask the child, dusting her off. As I did so, I quickly realized something was wrong with her, but I couldn't identify what. 

She blinked her pretty green eyes at me, before squeeking. "I'm fine, Miss." She paused for a while, before asking, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for my brother, child." I tell her.

"I'm not 'child'," She pouted indignantly (and wasn't she so adorable), "My name's Asphodel, though my Mommy and Daddy call me Ash."

"Really? Well, wher-" I was cut off when I heard someone call little Ash's name.

"MOMMY!" She screamed, coming to tackle the person who was walking around the corner, and I freeze.

"Hestia." The woman breathed out, instinctively placing Asphodel behind her.

"Persephone." I replied.

* * *

Persephone had led the three of us to the dining hall, not before calling one of the servants and asking him (her? It was hard to tell) to bring Hades over. I took the spot across the spring goddess whilst Asphodel sat beside reading a storybook that I've never noticed.

I opened my mouth to start asking questions, before sister in-law (well I suppose I could call her my beyond-matrimony niece in-law squared) me off.

"Let's wait for my husband to get here, before we start discussing things, shall we?" She said, and I pause, she hadn't refered to Hades with that much affection since the 20's, before the di Angelo incident.

We sat there, sipping at the tea a maid had served earlier. The silence wasn't tense or awkward at all, and was broke often by Asphodel suddenly saying something out of the blue and Persephone humoring her. It was quite heartwarming, actually.

I took this time to quietly observe Ash. She was quiet most of the time, focusing more on what she was reading. She had proper manners too, from what I could see. And she was definitely strong, what with how brilliantly her soul shines. It was beautiful to look at, except for... _oh dear_.

My thoughts were cut off abruptly when the door opened, Hades and Thanatos walking in, or well _was going to_ walk in. The god of death took one look at the situation and quite promptly disappeared, not wanting to get caught up in a family discussion. (Which, rude! True, most of our family discussions ended up with something in flames, but that was never our fault. We spent our time at every solstice chatting quietly by the hearth and ignoring the chaos around us.)

"Sister." Hades said, awkwardly.

"Hades," I started, trying to find a way to ease him into the conversation. "I am extremely upset that I was never informed about your daughter."

That seemed to break him out of his panicky internal monolouge because he startles, and, after a few minutes of processing what I said, _blushed_.

Persephone seemed to agree with me because she started giggling behind her hand, even as my brother shot her a betrayed look. Ash was dead to the world, engrossed in her story.

Hades coughed into his hand, in an attempt to get the situation under control, as if I would lose this opportunity to tease him endlessly.

"Sister, let's talk outside, shall we?"

* * *

"I'm surprised Persephone let you raise her. Much less adopt her herself." It was blunt, I knew it was blunt, but I was never the type of person to use twenty words when two would work. Dithering over words just led to misunderstandings, and those were the first step to ruining families.

Besides, with the way most people acted around Hades, I knew he appreciated the change of pace.

"I was too, but her parents had died, and it was either my care or her aunt's, who had already made her dislike of anything _freakish_ quite known."

That tone of voice usually didn't bode well for whomever was being spoken about.

I couldn't quite bring it upon myself to care.

"Well I'm glad she found a caring family." And I truly was, Hades hasn't felt this content since...

I sighed, I didn't want to ruin the mood like this, but for the exact same reason I hate white lies, keeping him unaware leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Lighter Soul magicks weren't exactly an Underworldian's domain.

"And the shard?"

Hades didn't ask how I knew, Necromancy, despite of the misleading name (honestly, what were the mortals thinking?), was as much his domain as mine. What is death without life, after all?

My little brother explained how it got there in the first place, and I took a moment to mourn the Potters. They might not be married out of love, but not all families consist of a married couple and children. Lily and James would have been great parents, regardless. Sirius too, and I'm sure Remus would've been the doting uncle if he never managed to actually confess. (Although I'm pretty sure only I noticed what was going on there.)

"I was going to have it removed, but it would probably hurt her so I kept it supressed instead and I'll remove it when she's a bit older and..."

Ah, he's starting to ramble.

"She can take it." I cut him off his tirade. He could have kept going for hours and still have more to say.

"... because at her age, something so invasive would probably be- Wait, what?"

"She can take it." I repeated, ignoring the temptation of sounding patronizing and watching him sulk about it. (Despite protests that no he didn't sulk, he's the ruler of the underworld damn it and he doesn't _sulk_.)

"Are you sure? Wouldn't it hurt her?"

"At most, some slight discomfort, but it would probably just tickle her." Of course, he doesn't need to know that this is if _he_ did the job instead of some riffraff necromancer, but it was probably a safe assumption that my brother wouldn't let someone else do this when he was much more experienced.

"Alright then."

* * *

_**Persephone** _

Asphodel giggled from her spot in Hestia's lap, seemingly content with watching Hecate's hair go through the entire color spectrum. The hearth goddess herself had taken the opportunity to catch up with her old mentor, Hecate.

I couldn't quite believe it, when I learned. They certainly didn't look like they could coexist, Hecate too devious and Hestia too pacifistic. But then I saw them reminiscing over their old memories in the pensieve, and the similarities became uncanny. (But then again, Hestia always was far too fucking zen to not have some sort of coping mechanism. At least it wasn't anything like Dionysus' or, gods forbid, _Mother's_.

Let's just say I had a bit _too much_ cereal growing up.)

Hades was chatting with the god of death in a corner. (Poor, poor Thanatos looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here, but that look in my husband's face said that if he were to abandom Hades to the tender mercies three goddesses again the god of death would be facing ungodly amounts of paperwork and quite possibly Charon-babysitting duty. I laugh at his misery. 

I'm pretty certain Hecate and Hestia are too.)

I glance at my smiling daughter again and breathe a sigh of relief. I may not have much reign over necromancy, but I am the goddess of spring, and if that doesn't give me at least some sway over Life, I don't know what will. Watching that parasite leach off of Ash's soul had been the closest I'd ever get to having a heart attack. Seeing it gone had lifted some weight I didn't know was there to begin with.

Shaking my head to get rid of heavy thoughts, I head over to Hades's side, gleefully tormenting Thanatos further. Those weren't important right now. Now was the time to relax.

(In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but thank the Fates that my husband cheated on me. My family has never been better.)

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If someone could tell me just when exactly Hades and Maria di Angelo played tonsil hockey amongst _other things_ that would be nice.


End file.
